This morning while driving through the morning "headache" (formerly known as rush-hour)I, once again, listened to the M. Etheridge song "Scarecrow" and was amazed at the profound reaction that the words provoke. Can we ever blunt the hatred in those who are afraid of diversity?

I have had a few incidents of homophobia. The most recent was with my son's "dad's" (not Sallvie's Bio-father) wife over Easter Dinner. I wanted to have everyoe that was inportant to Sallvie to have easter Dinner together. I had asked his "dad" and wife over. I later changed my mind and asked if they could meet me at my two "moms's" house. I didn't realze that the wife wasn't comfortablke being around lesbians until then. Needless to say they didn't come to Easter dinner. What got me the most was that she would have had no problem coming over to my ouse if the two "moms" came were iny house but yet she didn't want to go to thier house.
I think I have made progress since then. Random and I had had a big fight and "the wife" was glad when we made up. She knows that Random makes me happy.

Foster parents are losing a child they've fostered for 11 years. He's being released for adoption and gay couples can't adopt in Florida.

I don't know what is more horrible, that these parents are losing a son they've raised from 9 weeks on, or that he has four brothers and sisters who will be losing a brother. These aren't kids who have been placed for a few weeks while they get their acts together, most came to the home as infants. This is the family they've grown up in and been loved by. I can't understand how anyone would think this is the best thing to do.

<div style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: 13px">I happened upon an interesting bit of information this morning. It is a report entitled <i>The Cost of Homophobia: Literature Review on the Human Impact of Homophobia On Canada</i> and was prepared by Community ? University Institute for Social Research. I've made the <a href="http://www.womensweb.ca/files/pdf/homophobia.pdf" target="_blank" style="color: red; text-decoration: underline">PDF file</a> available online if anyone cares to read it. (85 pages)

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Here is an excerpt from the ABSTRACT:

This study reviewed research related to homophobia?s negative results on gays, lesbians, and bisexuals (GLB) in terms of its human impact. Compared to non-GLB mortality rates, human cost measures determine how many GLB have had their lives shortened because of homophobia. Homophobia was defined as an irrational fear of, or aversion to, homosexuals and homosexuality. The reviewed research showed that GLB and heterosexuals were equivalent in terms of psychological and psychosocial health and functioning, but that GLB had a shorter life expectancy and faced health risks and social problems at greater rates than the heterosexual population. The suspected reason for these increased problems is the chronic stress placed on GLB resulting from coping with society?s negative responses and stigmatization.

Eight major health and social issues were examined: suicide, smoking, alcohol abuse, illicit drug use, depression, unemployment, murder, and HIV/AIDS. In addition, because homophobia results in substandard health care for GLB, the issue of access and quality of health care services was examined for ineffective health services and practices that exacerbate health and social problems.

Originally posted by QuietWOW Do you encounter Homophobia on a regular basis? What do you do about it? Do you think heterosexism is something different from homophobia? What can we do to make a difference?

Let's learn from one another

I believe that people are either open to the world and the people in it or they are not. as long as i do what i have to do to get along in this world and i dont judge others i will be doing well.

The gay women where I work are VERY out; the gay men..NOT. Coworkers tend for the most part to be accepting...what counts with them is whether or not you'll be there to back them up when trouble brews in the units. We already have one gay sergeant, and she has alot of respect for how she does her job. I intend to be the next gay sergeant, so that'll make 2 of us. :-)

Minty, I think that is one of the best things I've ever heard said. In this day and age of warmongers, I encounter prejudice based on the fact that I am an old hippie/peacemonger. I have a shirt with a picture of the white house that says "regime change begins at home" another that quotes Bush about "if you are not for us, you are against us" on the front with ENEMY on the back. I also have a flag pin that is on my denim jacket upside down - the universal signal of distress. If this nation isn't in distress, I don't know how else to describe it. And I live in an area that is between 60-70% military.

Speak your mind and always be true to yourself!

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I wanted to be a pirate, but I couldn't grow a beard and rum makes me giggle.